Z - awesome review. Really beautifully written my friend.
Andrew Stanger
On Oct 11, 2008, at 10:06 PM, "afro*T*siac" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
Wow,
That is awesome! Glad all of you got to experience it.
T
~*Tameir*~
-----Original Message-----
From: ZA <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Date: Sat, 11 Oct 2008 21:29:23
To: <[email protected]>
Subject: Re: NPNY: 21 Nights Afterparty Reivew
Good to see you too, Andy.
Here's what I posted on HQ...
I was at all those shows--Avery Fisher soundcheck, main show, &
aftershow at
the World--and Xenophobia celebration at Paisley 2002, as well as
Butter in
NYC in 2006. And I have to say (as I said in my earlier post) this
aftershow
smoked Butter. There was no "Joy in Repetition" moment (as at the
World--but
that was really the only "moment" that I enjoyed anyway), but I
enjoyed this
aftershow much much more.
Maybe it is because I haven't read/posted much online... my music
appreciation frame of reference is less fettered with chatter.
I can understand why people use setlists to guage a performance...
because
they want to see new songs, new material, or see if there are any
changes
from before, as an indication of artistic growth. But to me that's
like
comparing a grocery list to the cooked meal. As a performer there
are few
"top chefs" out there like Prince who can take what appears on the
surface
to be a run-of-the-mill list and turn it into a gourmet meal.
And I felt he did that last night. I started to take notes on a set
list and
a few songs into the show I stopped. I stopped because the note-
taking was
taking away from my enjoyment of the show. I stopped because the
note-taking
was forcing me to experience the show in a kind of "melted ice
cream" kind
of way. You ever accidentally left ice cream out? It melts and all the
ingredients kind of separate... putting it back into the freezer
will not
bring those ingredients back together again in the original mix that
would
have been as enjoyable as it was intended. So I said, hell I better
eat this
ice cream while it's good. I put away the pen and the paper, and
just took
the show in.
Sorry if people are looking to get the basic ingredients/set list
from me.
Not going to happen. Instead I'm going to convey the taste, the
overall vibe
and energy. If you're the type who eats food trying to figure out what
ingredients went into it, be my guest--you'll find enough of that on
this
thread. But I'm just trying to savor the moment because there *was*
something special at last night's aftershow to me... and I'm going
to try to
put my finger on it.
(First, as a disclosure, I was one of the lucky recipients of the HQ
contest
for the aftershow. For that I am truly grateful! It meant, among other
things, Ruth (who was just one of the nicest, professionals I've
encountered
who is tasked with the awesome responsibility of assisting a
megatalent like
Prince) escorted winners into the performance venue before the
public was
let in... so I got close up to the stage, right in front of the
steps in the
front right. I've been up front before, so this was not necessarily
reason
for a positive experience or review. But I am not going to lie... it
helps
:) It also means that as a contest winner we were each given one of
those
beautiful O(+> wax candle holders as a gift.
Ok so on to the show... I have to admit that I had grown weary of
Prince's
tendency to perform so many covers of other people's songs. Reading
reports
of the last two years (last time I saw him was at Butter two years
ago), I
went into the aftershow not expecting much. But while I stood there
watching
the show, it struck me that Prince is more interested in making his
show
about MUSIC rather than just PRINCE MUSIC.
Even though he is the star attraction and may have an offstage ego
of a
star, it's a kind of artistic humility on stage that I found
endearing last
night. His very jazzman-like democratic sharing of solos, and his
clear
homages to music he's love over the years of his life. Once I stopped
fretting about "why isn't he playing his music" I realized that in a
strange
way this wasn't about HIM.
Prince became this iPod of great music, and plucked one song after
another,
that he performed, reinvented, reinvigorated, improvised, solo'd,
clowned,
danced, sang, strummed, shook, that made it clear that yes you are
hearing
Earth Wind & Fire, or Ron Woods, or India Arie, but make no mistake
about it
this is a PRINCE concert. This was no karaoke, phone in performance.
The
rhythm guitar licks were SICK. The screams on pitch (I hadn't heard
Prince
deliver a good scream since 2004 Musicology days), his vocal control
precise, and his athleticism took him all over every available space
on the
small stage.
And the smallness of the setting provided such a contrast for the
bigness of
his talent. The intimacy of the evening... it was like sitting in
his living
room. Or in his garage, watching a 4 piece band. No overproduction,
just hot
cold sweat. They had the energy and hunger of a start up, with the
professionalism and chops of veterans.
It's like Prince succeeded in shifting the focus away from
himself... there
were points in the almost 3 hours concert where I forgot who he
was... where
I felt like I'm watching this amazing kid jump around in his garage or
living room with his band doing this great music. I felt like an A/R
executive who wanted to say "we've got to SIGN THIS KID!!" and then
it would
hit me... holy shit I just saw PRINCE!
And that was the magic for me. That is what made this special. Prince
somehow stripped his performance of pretense, and took me back to
excitement
of watching a band just getting started but playing like they'd been
on the
scene for years. I felt like I was standing in the shoes of Owen
Husney, or
Mo Ostin... the performance was THAT REFRESHING. This was not old
hat. It
felt new, youthful, invigorating. Knowing in the back of my mind
that Prince
seldom leaves ANYTHING to chance and that even what appears as
spontaneity
is incredibly rehearsed--well that just made me appreciate his
talent all
the more.
Thanks again to HQ for the chance to check out this show. Thanks to
Ruth for
lookin out! Thanks to the NPG family for the continued sense of
community--
Utopia7, Porsche, Tonia, Belinda, Andy (glad your gf enjoyed the
show), &
whomever I missed. And lastly Thanks to Prince & the band for an
amazing
night!
and just remember... eat your ice cream before it melts :)
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